No horsemeat at schools (From Cotswold Journal)

No horsemeat at schools

8:00am Sunday 3rd March 2013 in News

NO traces of horsemeat have been found during initial tests on Worcestershire school meals, it has been confirmed.

The screening was carried out on eight samples by Worcestershire County Council’s Scientific Services at a lab in Wainwright Road, Warndon, Worcester, as a “precautionary” measure and the full results will be revealed next week.

The testing followed news that cottage pie contaminated with horsemeat was delivered to schools in Lancashire.

The product has since been withdrawn from 47 school kitchens.

Paul Hancock, Worcestershire County Council’s public analyst and scientific advisor for scientific services, said: “A decision was taken earlier this week to proactively test meal samples from a number of schools throughout Worcestershire and we expect to have the full results of this exercise next week.

“The analysis on the initial samples are complete and Worcestershire Scientific Services can confirm that of the eight samples so far tested, all are negative for equine DNA.

“We are one of a small number of local authorities across the country who have a specialist scientific testing facility and we feel it is appropriate that, in light of the recent horsemeat issues we should conduct these food tests both to reassure parents and to help schools ensure that the meals they provide are of the required standard."